Game-board.



No. 642,903. Patented Feb. 6, I900.

H. C. HACHMUTH.

G A M E B 0 A R D.

(Application filed Mar. 8, 1899.)

(No Model.)

INVENTGR;

ma /29AM WITNESSES:

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Mrs STATES ATENT Erich.

GAME-BOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,903, dated February 6, 1900.

Application filedMarch 8, 1899. Serial No. 708,275. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY O. HACHMUTH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mill Creek,iu the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Game-Boards; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to an improved gameboard; and its object is to provide means for playing a game involving skill and dexterity of the hand and also exercise of the memory and to provide the device with certain new and useful features hereinafter more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

My device consists, essentially, of a board having a number of openings, channels, or receptacles beneath the board communicating with said openings and a number of balls divided into two or more opposing sets, the balls being hidden from view when in said receptacles, whereby a game may be played by pitching the balls from a distance for the purpose of getting them through said openings into the receptacles and remembering the balls that have been successfully placed in the same, as hereinafter more fully described, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying my invention; Fig. 2, a vertical section of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a detail with the center plate removed to show the channels, and Fig. 4: a detail showing the arrangement of the parts for packing and storing the device when out of use.

Like letters refer to like parts in, all of the figures.

A is a table of any suitable dimensions and shape, preferablycircular in outline and surrounded by a ledge A to keep the balls from rolling off the table. In the table is a removable middle portion B, preferably circular in outline, which is properly positioned by one or more pins 0 and held in place by fastenings or buttons 13'. Near the middle of the table is a group of openings F, preferably five in number, as shown, and surrounded by raised rims F, extending entirely around said openings, which rims prevent the balls from rolling into the openings from the surface of the table. The balls must thus be pitched into the openings of these rims to enter the openings F in the table. Beneath said openings are the outwardly-inclined inner ends H of radial chambers G to receive the balls that pass through the respective openings, the inclined ends I-I serving to cause the balls to roll back away from beneath the openings out of sight. 4

D is a distance-ring to prevent too near approach of the hand of the player to the openings F. Said ring is raised above the table and supported by wire posts E, pivotally connected to the ring to turn to a vertical position and be inserted at their lower ends in openings in the table or to turn inward within the plane of the ring for the purpose of packing beneath the removable portion B of the table. When packed for storage and out of use, the balls I are placed in the receptacles G and a card J or other sheet of material placed below the portions B to close the openings F and prevent the escape of the balls therethrough. On this card J the directions for playing the game may be printed.

Various games may be played by varying the rules of counting; but the principal part of the operation of playing is to divide the balls into two opposing sets by having them of different colors or markings and playing alternately by pitching the balls from without the distance-ring D at the openings of the rims F. The simplest game would be to see which contestant could place the greater number of balls in the receptacles.

To exercise the memory, the rule that a ball placed in a given receptacle subsequent to one of the opponents would defeat the counting of the latter would involve the exercise of the memory as to the location of the various balls hidden from view in the various receptacles. To further complicate the game and exercise the skill and memory, there is a rule that the balls nearest the middle or those farthest from the outer end of a given receptacle should be given higher value in the count. Various otherzgames may be devised for which the device is adapted; but the foregoing is sufficient to illustrate its operation.

When packing the device, the parts are ar ranged as in Fig. 4 and the center portion B of the table put in place and secured by the fastenings E.

For a lawn game the distance-ring D and outer table A, with the ledge A, may be omitted and the device may be on a larger scale, the balls being pitched by the players standing at a given distance from the device.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and wish to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A game-board consisting of a series of fixed receptacles having inclined ends,a board covering said receptacles and removable therefrom and having openings above the respective inclined ends of said receptacles, substantially as described.

2. The combination of a board having a group of openings, raised rims extending entirely around said openings, and fixed receptacles terminating in inclined ends beneath said openings, said board being removable from over the fixed receptacles, substantially as described.

3. The combination of a circular table having a group of openings near the middle, raised rims extending entirely around said openings, fixed radial receptacles beneath said board the part of the table above the receptacles being removable, said receptacles also having inclined inner ends terminating beneath the respective openings, substantially as described.

4c. The combination of a table having an annular outer portion having an outer ledge, and a detachable middle portion to said table having openings, and fixed receptacles having inclined ends beneath said openings, substantially as described.

5. The combination of a table having an outer ledge and a middle portion detachably secured thereto and provided with openings having raised rims, channels belowsaid middle portion having inclined ends beneath the respective openings, and a distance-ring supported above said board, substantially as described.

6. The combination of agame-board having a removable portion having openings, channels beneath said board and terminating beneath the respective openings, a ring having posts pivotally attached thereto and adapted to be inserted in openings in the board, to support the ring above the same, and to turn Within the plane of the ring to pack between the board and channels, substantially as described.

7. The combination of a board having a removable portion having a group of openings, and a series of radial receptacles beneath the removable portion and terminating beneath the respective openings, a ring having posts pivoted thereto to turn to a vertical position and to turn within the plane of the ring, and a sheet of material to interpose between the channels and removable portion to close the openings in the same, substantially as described.

8. The combination of a circular board having an outer ledge and a circular removable portion having a group of openings having raised rims, guide pins and fastenings for the removable portion, radial receptacles beneath the same and having inclined ends terminating beneath the openings, a ring having posts pivoted thereto, and a sheet of material to close the openings in the board, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY C. HAOHMUTII.

Witnesses:

LUTHER V. MOULTON, LEWIS E. FLANDERS. 

